[ Dear Diary, ]

[ Hey, it's Balloon. It's hard to believe it's been, what, ten months since camp ended? We graduated not long after, and while a lot has changed, plenty has stayed the same.

Nickel and I are still going strong. He actually moved in a little while after camp, which was really nice. Oh! And he gave me a promise ring... sweet, right? I still can't get over it. I like writing him little poems, and he keeps them in his wallet so he can read them on his breaks at work. Isn't that the cutest thing?

I love him.

Things have changed with some of the others, though. Like, Baseball and Suitcase? Yeah, they're dating now. I mean, we all saw that coming, right? Nickel and I were practically glued together after camp, and with us always off doing our own thing, those two only had each other. Guess something sparked between them! Good for them.

Suitcase actually joked, "Without you two bickering all the time, it was peaceful." She wasn't wrong. Nickel had his doubts about whether they'd last, but hey, three months in and they're still going strong. I think they'll make it.

Not everyone was as lucky, though. Knife and Pickle... yeah, that didn't work out. They tried hanging out after everything, but it wasn't the same. Knife was crushed. At least this time, he didn't blame Nickel for it... progress, right? Actually, we're all friends now. Who would've thought? We've been hanging out a lot, and you know what? It's been nice. Plus, Knife has a new boyfriend now, and I swear, I've never seen him happier. He's different in a good way. I'm happy for him.

Oh! And today's the big day!! we're having a camp reunion! At my place! I invited Baseball and Suitcase too, wonder if they'll show up. Of course, I made sure to invite Bot. They're still in school and miss us like crazy, but they've been hanging out with Yin-Yang a lot. I love that for them. At least they're not alone.

I've got a good feeling about today. ]

"Looney, come on! Baseball and Suitcase are already here!"

Before Balloon could close his diary, Nickel plucked it right out of his hands.

"Oooh, what's this?" Nickel smirked, flipping through the pages. "A diary? Dear diary, Nickel is soooo hot, and I just wanna kiss his handsome face."

"Idiot." Balloon rolled his eyes and reached for the diary, but Nickel held it out of reach, grinning.

Still sitting, Balloon narrowed his eyes before standing up. Instantly, he towered over Nickel. "Give it."

Nickel's face turned a little pink, but he still smirked. "Not until you kiss me." He puckered his lips dramatically.

Balloon let out a soft laugh, shaking his head before leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to Nickel's lips.

"Happy now?" he murmured.

Nickel grinned. "Very."

Balloon and Nickel made their way down to the living room, where Baseball and Suitcase were already settled on the couch. Suitcase was curled up against her boyfriend, leaning comfortably into his side as Baseball rested an arm around her shoulder. Nickel wrinkled his nose at the sight—he was starting to understand how everyone else felt about him and Balloon.

"Who else is coming again?" Nickel asked, flopping onto the couch beside Suitcase.

"The ones who went to camp, plus Bot!" Balloon grinned as he sat down next to Nickel.

"Bot's coming? Yay!" Suitcase perked up, clearly excited. They all missed Bot since finishing school—the group didn't hang out with them as often anymore except for moments like this. Still, they adored Bot and would do anything to protect them.

A knock at the door interrupted the conversation, and Balloon immediately sprang to his feet. He raced over and flung the door open.

"Well, if it isn't the Bright Lights!" he greeted with a wide smile. Standing in front of the group, Bot beamed at him.

"You've gotten taller," Balloon noted with a smile. "It's really good to see you, Bot."

Test Tube playfully ruffled Bot's hair. "Hey, guys! Sorry we're late—Fan and Lightbulb insisted on getting chicken nuggets." She chuckled, glancing back at the two, who were each holding a box of nuggets and munching away.

"Totally worth it," Lightbulb said through a mouthful of food.

"Come in," Balloon said, stepping aside. The group filed in, quickly making themselves comfortable. Balloon's house was spacious, and, as usual, both of his parents were away on business.

"I know no one asked," Paintbrush announced with a smirk, pulling something out of their pocket, "but I brought Uno."

"NO! NO! NO! Not again!" Fan yelped. "Last time we played, you almost broke my arm!"

"Oh, please. I barely touched you!" Paintbrush scoffed. "Besides, you put the card down out of turn—I just gently corrected it."

[ Yeah... Paintbrush is still as intense about Uno as ever. Speaking of the Bright Lights, the group managed to stay close even after school. They hang out all the time, and I think they're going to be lifelong friends. Lightbulb and Paintbrush are still dating, even living together now with their pet, Baxter. Fan and Test Tube are also still together... and hopefully, Fan's learned his lesson about flirting with guys behind Test Tube's back. Either way, they're just as attached to each other as ever, so I guess it's working out. ]

"Oh my gosh! You two are adorable!" Lightbulb grinned at Baseball and Suitcase. "I still can't believe you actually got together—I did not see that coming!"

"Really? Because I totally did," Fan interjected. "I mean, if Balloon and Nickel were inevitable with how obsessed they are with each other, then Baseball and Suitcase were just as obvious with all the time they spent together."

"Heh, yeah..." Baseball muttered, his face reddening. He wasn't used to this kind of attention, and neither was Suitcase. Being around the Bright Lights felt a little overwhelming since they hadn't gone to camp with them and didn't know the group as well. They both felt slightly out of place—until Bot plopped down beside them, making sure they didn't feel left out. Bless Bot's soul.

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It wasn't long before Knife and his friends arrived, all piling out of the car he had driven. They'd all come together, making it a full house. Balloon answered the door again, his face lighting up when he saw them.

"Yo, Balloon." Knife grinned, resting a hand on Balloon's head. "Long time no see—it's been, what, a few months now?" He chuckled.

Balloon smiled back. "Yeah, it has."

[ Despite everything that happened with Knife, Nickel, and the whole camp situation, we were okay with him now. Well... I was okay with him. Nickel? He's sort of okay. He still keeps an eye on Knife, just to make sure he doesn't try to steal me away, but I doubt that would happen—Knife has a new boyfriend now, after all. And no, it's not Fan, though that would have been interesting. Still, despite not dating, Knife and Fan are weirdly close. ]

"KNIFE!!"

Fan practically launched himself from Test Tube's lap and raced over, flinging his arms around Knife in an overly excited hug. "It's been so long!" He clung to him like a bug, his grip unwavering.

Knife chuckled, patting the back of Fan's head. He had to admit, he still liked the attention—he had no intentions of dating Fan or stealing him from Test Tube, but messing with him was always fun.

"And you're sure your boyfriend isn't gay?" Knife teased, shooting a playful look at Test Tube. It was all in good fun; they were used to this banter by now.

She just laughed and shook her head.

"Alright, that's enough."

Trophy suddenly emerged from behind Knife, grabbing Fan by the hoodie and yanking him backward. "Too long of a hug. Back to your girlfriend, you go." He shot Fan a glare, and the smaller redhead let out a startled 'eep!' before scrambling back to Test Tube.

Trophy, satisfied, slung an arm around Knife.

[ Oh, right—I forgot to mention who Knife's dating. It's Trophy. Who would've thought? Well, I already mentioned that things with Pickle didn't work out, but apparently, Trophy and Cheesy broke up too... It's kind of a sad story. I don't know all the details, but from what I heard through Salt and Pepper, when Pickle rejected Knife, Trophy was there for him... and one thing led to another, and he cheated on Cheesy. I don't know if that's true, though! It's just what I heard. I bet the story is a little different. But yeah, they're a thing now. ]

"Alright, chop chop—everyone, move away from the door."

Taco pushed her way through the group, holding Mic's hand as she stepped inside. She offered Balloon a polite smile.

"Balloon, dear, do you happen to have any tea? I could definitely go for a cup."

"Oh? What kind?" Balloon asked curiously.

Taco arched a brow. "What kinds do you have?"

"Well... We've got blueberry, raspberry, ginseng, sleepy time, green tea, green tea with lemon, green tea with lemon and honey, liver disaster, ginger with honey, ginger without honey, vanilla almond, white truffle, blueberry chamomile, vanilla walnut, constant comment, and... earl grey." Balloon listed them off with a smile.

"Earl grey." Taco hummed, already making herself comfortable on a small two-seater couch. Microphone sat down beside her.

"Oh, and get a cup for Microphone too." Taco smiled sweetly up at her girlfriend.

"Aww." Microphone grinned back at her, looking just as smitten.

Nickel, who had been watching from the couch, got up and walked over behind Balloon. "And I'll grab soda for everyone else."

He assumed the rest of the group would want soda, and since no one argued, he figured he was right.

...

Balloon and Nickel made their way into the kitchen, Balloon setting to work preparing the two cups of tea. As he waited for the water to heat, he briefly wondered if Yin-Yang would be joining them—they had been invited, but so far, there was no word from them.

Meanwhile, Nickel opened the fridge and grabbed a few cans of soda, placing them onto a small tray to carry back to their friends.

"How are you?" he asked, glancing over at Balloon. "It's not too much, is it? Having everyone here..."

Nickel didn't see why it would be, but he wanted to check in anyway. He cared about Balloon—more than anything—and he just wanted to make sure he was okay.

Balloon let out a soft sigh before turning from the kettle with a reassuring smile. "Nickel... I'm fine."

Stepping forward, he playfully slid his hands to Nickel's waist, pulling him in closer.

[ Yeah, Nickel is still a little paranoid about me, always wanting to keep me safe, always trying to protect me. It can be a bit much sometimes, but I know he does it because he loves me. And honestly? I wouldn't change it for the world.

We've both learned how to handle it, when it gets to be too much, I tell him, and he's gotten better about stepping back when I need him to. Besides, how could I really complain? It's comforting to know I have someone who's always there for me, no matter what. I cherish him. I love him.

I never thought I could love anyone this much... not until I fell for him. And now, I wouldn't have it any other way.]

Nickel wrapped his arms around Balloon's shoulders, pulling him close as he gazed into his boyfriend's eyes, completely smitten. He was so in love with Balloon—he'd do anything for him. His life had never been perfect, but right now, it was as close to perfect as it could get, and he'd never trade it for anything.

Balloon leaned in playfully, his lips just barely brushing against Nickel's, teasing the kiss—

Then the kettle popped.

Balloon pulled away with a chuckle, leaving Nickel pouting.

"Aww..." Nickel crossed his arms, disappointed. He really wanted that kiss.

Balloon smirked as he poured the hot water into the cups. "Aww yourself. We have guests, remember?"

Nickel sighed dramatically but grabbed the tray of sodas, following Balloon back to the living room.

Once there, Nickel passed out the soda cans while Balloon carefully handed Taco and Microphone their tea. With that sorted, they finally sat down.

The long couch was packed—Baseball and Suitcase were snuggled up together, with Bot sitting beside Suitcase, and Balloon and Nickel on the other side of Bot. Across from them, on a smaller couch, Taco and Microphone were curled up together.

Test Tube and Fan had taken the floor, with Fan nestled in Test Tube's lap as she absentmindedly ran her nails through his long red locks.

Lightbulb and Paintbrush sat nearby, Paintbrush shuffling a deck of Uno cards—just in case anyone wanted to play. (No one did.)

As for Knife and Trophy, they had settled near the door, leaning against the wall. Trophy rested lightly against Knife's shoulder, their hands intertwined. It was still strange seeing them together—it was new for everyone. The group probably had a lot of questions about how it happened. Taco and Microphone definitely knew, but no one was about to pry.

An awkward silence lingered. It had been a long time since some of them had seen each other, and with so much having changed over the past few months—yet somehow, not much at all—no one really knew where to start.

Paintbrush, of course, had no such hesitation.

"I'm just gonna say what everyone's thinking—when the heck did that happen?" They pointed at Knife and Trophy, eyebrows raised.

Yeah... that question had to come up eventually.

"Ohh, this is a fun story." Taco grinned, sipping her tea.

Microphone shot her a look and nudged her lightly. "Be nice."

Knife groaned, rubbing his temples. He should've expected this—especially considering Fan and Test Tube had practically risked expulsion to save his and Pickle's relationship. They deserved an explanation.

Trophy, however, was not in the mood. He scoffed, crossing his arms as he shot the group an unimpressed look. They were all being so ridiculous.

Nickel scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I'm pretty interested—considering you tried ruining my life over Pickle." He crossed his arms, still holding onto that grudge. Even if, technically, it was his fault that Pickle got expelled and wasn't allowed to talk to Knife anymore.

Trophy narrowed his eyes, his temper flaring. "You wanna watch your mouth, aye?" he snapped, bitterness in his tone.

Knife immediately placed a hand on Trophy's shoulder, grounding him. It was clear he really had changed—he wasn't as quick to lash out anymore.

"Look," Knife started, sighing. "I've heard the rumors. No—Trophy didn't cheat on Cheesy. It was something that happened over time.

"I went out with Pickle a few times after everything, but... he started texting me less and less. Eventually, he just admitted things would never be the same. And during that time, I didn't really have anyone to hang out with—since, y'know, all of you were busy with your gay relationships and shit." He smirked a little at that before continuing.

"Trophy had been having issues with Cheesy for a while, long before this. He'd always come to me for advice. And eventually, I guess I needed some advice of my own. One thing led to another, and... well, Trophy ended up breaking it off with Cheesy."

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆

Flashback.

Knife sat slouched against the wall on Trophy's bed, a weed vape resting between his fingers. He looked rough—like he hadn't slept in days. It wasn't often that Knife came over to Trophy's house, which was reason enough for Trophy to know something was wrong.

He busied himself sorting through his CDs, half-listening as Knife went on and on about Pickle.

"Like, dude... I was so sure he was the one," Knife muttered, taking another hit from his vape. His voice was hoarse, his eyes red and puffy—hard to tell if it was from smoking or crying. Probably both.

"I loved him, man. I waited for him, hoping he'd come back after everything with Nickel. Yeah, sure, I messed around a little, but I loved him. I really thought we were gonna make it work. And now? Now I'm just sitting here wondering what the hell I did wrong." He let out a humorless chuckle. "Maybe I really am too fucked up. Maybe he doesn't want someone as messed up as me."

Trophy huffed, rolling his shoulders. He turned to face Knife, unimpressed. "That's stupid," he said flatly.

Knife glanced up at him. "Gee, thanks."

"I mean it," Trophy continued. "You did everything for him, and he gave you nothing in return. It's selfish. And look at you, dude. Who wouldn't wanna date you? You're buff, you've got cool hair, you can skate—you're like, every person's dream. Pickle was lucky to even have you. He's a fucking idiot for passing you up."

Knife blinked at him, then smirked lazily. "Every person's dream, huh?"

Trophy's face instantly turned red. He grabbed the vape from Knife's hand, taking a hit before grumbling under his breath.

"...Whatever. Shut up."

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆

"Did you guys make out after that?" Fan asked eagerly, eyes practically sparkling. He was fully invested in this yaoi moment. He loved it.

"Jesus Christ, Test Tube, are you sure your boyfriend isn't gay?" Trophy snapped, clearly feeling vulnerable and embarrassed. He hated all this attention on him—it made him uncomfortable.

"I'm bisexual, thank you very much!" Fan shot back, crossing his arms. "And come on, this is prime fanfiction material!" He snickered playfully.

"You are a weird little man, Fantsar." Lightbulb chuckled, ruffling Fan's hair.

"Can we please talk about something else already?" Trophy huffed. He glanced around the room, desperate for a new topic—any topic. His eyes landed on Taco and Microphone, who were still sipping their tea like they were royalty. "Like—what the hell is up with that? You two got engaged?! You're like, nineteen!"

[ Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that... Taco and Microphone got engaged. Personally, I don't want to get married anytime soon, but I think it's really cute. They've been together for five years now. It's not like they're planning a wedding anytime soon, getting engaged was more about showing their commitment to each other, which I think is sweet. ]

"At least we know how to maintain a consistent, healthy relationship," Taco scoffed, taking another sip of her tea. "Don't be jealous now."

She smiled up at Microphone, who returned the gesture with an affectionate eye-roll.

"Taco... be nice," Microphone chided. She then turned to Trophy. "And for the record, we're not rushing into anything. We're just engaged, that's all."

"That's so cute!!" Lightbulb gasped, turning to Paintbrush. "Painty, when can we get engaged?!"

Paintbrush crossed their arms. "If I propose, it will be in France."

Balloon smiled warmly. "I think it's adorable!" Then, almost instinctively, he turned to Nickel with narrowed eyes. "Do not get any ideas."

He knew his boyfriend too well—Nickel was absolutely the type to drop to one knee right now if given the chance. He was that obsessed with Balloon.

"Yeah, so when's your wedding?" Fan teased, nudging Balloon and Nickel.

"When Balloon's ready!!" Nickel shot back, suddenly defensive. "I'd love to marry him, so I don't know why you're making fun of me for it!"

"Relax, babe." Balloon placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a knowing look. "We're not getting married." He said it calmly, but firmly enough to shut it down.

Before the conversation could spiral any further, there was a knock at the door.

Since Trophy was already standing nearby, he got up and opened it.

"Sorry we're late!"

"YIN-YANG!"

Almost everyone in the room cheered at once, delighted that they had finally arrived.

"We were just talking about engagements and weddings—come in!" Fan giggled, clearly enjoying the topic. He had always dreamed of marrying his own girlfriend one day. In fact, he'd already tried proposing to Test Tube before, but she'd immediately shot him down, reminding him that they were only 14 at the time. (Yes, he really tried proposing at 14.) Ever since then, he'd been too scared to try again.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Yin chirped as they stepped inside. "Silver and Candle are engaged!"

"Ugh... do not remind me," Yang grumbled.

"They're what?!" Nickel practically shouted in disbelief. "How is that even possible? Didn't they just start dating around the same time Balloon and I did? No way they're already engaged!"

"Uh, hypocrite much?" Balloon teased, crossing his arms. "You literally just said you'd marry me, like... a minute ago."

"Yeah, but—that's totally different!!" Nickel huffed, crossing his arms with a scoff.

"Okay, I do think that a few months is a bit soon for an engagement," Taco chimed in, setting her empty teacup down on the coffee table. "But hey, we should be happy for them. I think it's sweet." She grinned.

"I'm actually with Nickel on this one—that's insane..." Trophy raised a brow. "Also, isn't it, like, illegal for teachers to get married?"

"Uh, that depends on the school policy and whatever contract they signed," Balloon chuckled. "And knowing how shit our school was? Yeah, I doubt it's an issue."

"When's their wedding? Do you know?" Test Tube asked, leaning in with curiosity. "We should totally ask to be invited." She snorted at her own joke—obviously, she didn't actually mean that. Attending a teacher's wedding would be weird.

"Uhh... I don't know?" Yin-Yang admitted.

[ Well, this is news to me! I'm honestly shocked. It's only been a few months since they officially got together, but I guess they're just that down bad for each other. Whatever floats their boat. Makes me wonder if Yin-Yang is the only one who knows... This seems like a very personal thing, and I can totally imagine either Candle confiding in Yin-Yang or Silver bragging about it. They are their favorite student, after all. ]

"Well, I see you're still a suck-up," Trophy scoffed.

"And I see you're still a sore loser!" Yang shot back.

[ Oh yeah... I almost forgot about that time Yin-Yang 'cheated' because they got help from Silver and Candle during that one challenge at camp, and Trophy completely lost his shit over it. That was hilarious. ]

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[ The catch-up was really fun... it was nice to see how much things had changed since camp, and how camp had changed us as people. Nothing ever stays the same, and it's interesting how life works that way. It actually inspired me to write a little poem about change...

The seasons shift, the rivers bend,

What once began must find its end.

Footsteps fade upon the shore,

Yet life still calls us to explore.

The hands we held, the roads we knew,

The golden days, the skies so blue,

They drift like echoes in the air,

Yet change is life, and life is fair.

The friends we had, some walk away,

Some stay beside us, come what may.

Yet even those we've left behind,

Still shape the soul, still mold the mind.

We fall, we rise, we learn, we grow,

Through storms of loss and winds that blow.

But from the wreckage, seeds take flight,

And bloom beneath the morning light.

So let the past be fond, not chained,

The heart is strong, though weathered, strained.

For time moves on, and so shall we,

With open arms and hearts set free.

Anyway, after a fun and eventful day, everyone eventually headed home. Lucky for Paintbrush, we did end up playing some Uno... but, as expected, it ended with them crashing out and yelling at everyone again. Still, it was fun. I missed this.

Some days, it's strange? I find myself missing the camp. I wonder if anyone else feels the same way. It was a wild ride, and a lot happened, but without it, I wouldn't be where I am now, would I? Though... I doubt my boyfriend misses it. I guess some things just have to come to an end. Even if we miss them, nothing lasts forever. ]

"Cute poem," Nickel remarked, his voice soft. Balloon was leaning against his chest as Nickel absentmindedly ran his fingers through his curls, watching him write in his diary. A small lamp glowed to their left, casting a warm light over the room, and their cat was curled up at the edge of the bed.

"Thanks." Balloon closed his journal and set it aside on the nightstand, shifting so he was sitting beside Nickel rather than in his lap.

"Do you really miss the camp? I thought it sucked." Nickel chuckled awkwardly, still not quite understanding why Balloon would miss all that chaos.

"Well... it's where we had our first kiss. Where we fell in love all over again. Without it, we might not even be here right now." Balloon's fingers trailed up to Nickel's face, gently cupping his cheek.

Nickel hummed, considering his words. "Hmm... I guess. But that doesn't mean we have to miss it. We can appreciate it, be grateful for what it gave us... and still move forward. Live in the now." He smiled, leaning in closer.

Balloon smiled back, warmth spreading through his chest. "Hehe, guess you're right."

And with that, he closed the space between them, pressing a gentle kiss to Nickel's lips.

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Authors Note: Thank you so much for all the reads on THE CAMP I never ever in my wildest dreams expected it to get this many reads on both A03 and WATTPAD, still today, 10 months later, I get comments on this fanfiction daily and I am so thankful, I am so sorry I haven't been keeping up to responding to them all, I spent most of today trying to respond to comments and like comments and reading all the feedback and support I got was the inspiration for the epilogue.

A part of me misses 'The Camp' so much, I miss writing it, I miss exciting people with what will come next, leaving the fanfic on cliff hangers and watching you all panic, it was really silly. I miss writing it, but I guess this fanfic is like me letting go of it? Letting go of my creation finally and leaving it in the past, it was wonderful, and I am so proud of my work, (even with some of the mistakes I had made) I will forever cherish it so much.

Thank you so much again! I hope you enjoy this very last addition to The Camp.

P.S: I made sure to add the exact same fancy barriers :3